Canada's Bridget Carleton makes a pass during a preliminary round game against South Korea, at the Tokyo Olympics, on July 29, 2021.Charlie Neibergall/The Associated Press
Canada’s women’s basketball team faces a pair of Olympic medallists at the FIBA Women’s World Cup next fall.
Canada was drawn into Group B with Japan, who captured silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and bronze medallist France.
Nigeria, host Australia, and Serbia, who defeated Canada in the opening round in Tokyo en route to finishing fourth, round out Group B.
Group A has Belgium, China, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Korea, the United States and a team still to be determined.
The Canadians went 1-1 at their recent World Cup qualifying tournament in Osaka, Japan, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina, the first victory for the team’s new head coach Victor LaPena. They lost to Japan in overtime.
The women’s World Cup opens Sept. 21 in Sydney, and is a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics.